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Off-Highway Vehicle Committee To Be Chosen Behind Closed Doors |
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Written by NS Liberal Party
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Tuesday, 28 February 2006 |
Liberal MLA Leo Glavine is concerned the new Minister of Natural Resources will be able to pick and choose members of an off-highway vehicle advisory committee behind closed doors.
On Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006, government advertised for interested applicants to apply for the Nova Scotia Off-highway Vehicle Ministerial Advisory Committee. According to the Department of Natural Resources' website, certain stakeholder organizations are guaranteed representation, although additional members can be added with ministerial approval. All applicants are directed to apply to the Department of Natural Resources.
"What we have is the creation of an advisory committee whose membership will be selected by a new minister who made no secret as to how he feels about off-highway vehicles," said Glavine. "How do we know that stakeholder representatives will not be outnumbered by people with the same philosophy as the minister?"
Non-adjudicative boards requiring ministerial appointment are outlined in statute and advertised through the Executive Council Office. These appointments are then vetted through the All-Party Human Resources Committee.
"If this government was serious about this issue, the recommendation to establish an executive committee as recommended by the task force should have been legislated, and then names would have to go before the Human Resources Committee," said Glavine. "As it stands now, the minister can ignore the committee's advice, go soft on regulations and then point fingers at a group that he is responsible for appointing." |
